Okay, Ukrainians! You’ve had your revenge! You humiliated President Petro Poroshenko in the first round of the presidential elections for delivering less rather than more on the promises made on Maidan that ended President Viktor Yanukovych’s rule in 2014. It was your Maidan, your victory over Russia, your hope for the future for yourselves, your children in a more European Ukraine. He didn’t do enough.
Revolutions move quickly; building a mature state takes time.
Instead, you gave your vote to funny President Vasyl Holoborodko. But who is the real man, candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy?
Some 30 percent of you want him to be like Holoborodko; an amiable, man-of-the-people reformer who solves Ukraine’s problems, fight corruption, and stand-up to bullies just like you did on Maidan. But do you really believe that playing the president on television is the same as being one? Playing Jesus Christ in a movie does not make Mel Gibson Jesus.
You know that Zelenskiy has no political knowledge or experience. This matters as American, for instance, are finding out. They hoped that Donald Trump’s gaps would be filled by good advisers.
Zelenskiy has advisers too like former economy and trade minister Aivaras Abromavicius. Former presidential candidate and defense minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko is also flirting with the possibility of being one. He represents voters who embrace Maidan values; Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, state language, historic justice, end to corruption. Hrytsenko appears to be “assured” that Zelenskiy embraces them too. And supports NATO and EU integration. Wow!
You’ll recall, that after speaking with President Vladimir Putin, President Trump was “assured” that Russia didn’t meddle in the US elections.
Words are cheap. At least Hrytsenko “assures” that he will support Zelenskiy only after the names of prospective ministers for foreign affairs, defense and security are released.
Yes, for Ukraine, as for America, it’s better to have a General James Mattis in the defense portfolio than a General Micha Flynn. But you already know what happened to General James Mattis.
It should disturb you that Hrytsenko’s assessment of the candidate’s position on the most critical issues doesn’t match those of his chief adviser Dmytro Rozumkov. He believes that language, history, and, significantly, the already resolved Orthodox Church of Ukraine should be put in “parenthesizes” until the war is stopped. While the war is ending everything else waits. But Rozumkov, a former Party of Regions member, fails to clarify how this will be done.
It’s Putin’s war and so far, he’s satisfied with the status quo as it’s his only way of keeping unhappy Russians—forty percent want to leave the country– from creating their own Maidan. What if to prevent a revolution on Moscow’s streets the despot kills Ukrainians as a pretext for defending the rodina, the motherland?
The war is not a reality television show for Ukraine where some 14,000 have already been murdered but it is for Putin. How, exactly, will Holoborodko deal with the Kremlin murderer’s bloody self-defence technology? Send in American troops led by President Trump?
President Poroshenko has had a hell of a time ending the war. He hasn’t succeeded but has moved to reconstruct Ukraine’s defense force and built alliances with NATO countries while advancing on other fronts –pensions, health, language, history, church. Zelinsky means to reverse this?
Some are quick to point out that oligarch Ihor Kolomoiski supports the comedian. As there’s no love lost between the Tel Aviv resident and Russia’s president, Zelenskiy must be Ukraine’s man. However, Russia’s own political joke, Vladimir Zhirinovsky—he says what Putin thinks– loves Zelenskiy. What does that tell you?
Given the lack of clarity on Zelinskiy himself, his camp’s muddled politics and anti-Ukrainian positions, it does not surprise that the Kremlin has already stated that it won’t recognize Poroshenko–if elected– as president
That’s clear and it’s doubtful that the presidential debate will alter Russia’s favoured candidate. However, you Ukrainians will make up your own minds about who is to be your president. Hopefully, the presidential debate will help but only if it deals with substance, not entertainment as Zelenskiy prefers. Don’t let him! Here’s why.
In her KyivPost piece https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/alya-shandra-hacked-docs-from-russia-outline-plan-eerily-similar-to-zelenskiy-campaign.html Alya Shandra writes about a Buratino–Russian for Pinocchio—plot that offers up a “technical candidate” for president.
He’s a comedian, a man of the people who appeals to voters wanting “anyone but” the lead candidate who is also unwanted by Russia. He appeals to the young, uninformed and disgruntled. He berates the opponent, belittles his achievements, the democratic institutions and offers himself as the only savior to make the country great again.
Ukrainians should worry. Such a scenario is already being played in America and Zelenskiy fits the bill for Ukraine. More. He wants to rule by referenda, a troubling tool that leads to endless discussions and artificial “choices” polarizing, confusing and immobilizing a nation. Just look at Brexit; just what Russia wants.
So, who is Zelenskiy? He certainly is not natural presidential material, a principled, experienced leader who will build on Ukraine’s achievements to further your political and economic wellbeing. Rather, he may be a tool in a manipulator’s hands. Is Zelenskiy a Trojan horse designed to entrap you with his loving television persona and humor?
Dear Ukrainians who against all odds won on Maidan a better future for yourselves and your children, allow me a reminder: it takes time for a seed to bear fruit. Don’t lose this second chance–last chance—with a vote to funny.
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, former executive with the government of Canada and president of U*CAN Ukraine Canada Relations Inc., writes on international issues.
